Lotto fever also sweeping DILG, PNP

MANILA, Philippines - Interior and Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo had also placed bets on the 6/55 Grand Lotto draw last night.

Robredo said he hoped to win the jackpot prize, which can reach to over P370 million.

“Yes, sana manalo na, hahaha,” he said in a text message to The STAR.

Robredo has suggested to the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) to come up with other scheme to put an end to jueteng.

Senators Francis Escudero, Jinggoy Estrada, Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Ralph Recto, Vicente Sotto III and Juan Miguel Zubiri confirmed that they joined millions of Filipinos in trying their luck in the 6/55 Grand Lotto.

No one got the Nov. 8 combination of 43-12-14-30-51-46 with over P353 million prize pot.

The jackpot surpassed the P347,836,903.20 that two people won and shared in the 6/49 Super Lotto draw on Feb. 22, 2009, according to the PCSO.

Like Robredo, other police officials are also trying their luck by placing bets in the elusive 6/55 Grand Lotto.

They are: Deputy Director General Benjamin Belarmino, PNP deputy chief for operations, PNP spokesman Senior Superintendent Agrimero Cruz Jr., Superintendent Joaquin Alva and Chief Inspector Glenn Silvio, both of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group.

“Yes, (I place my bets) only when the prize is in the hundred millions,” Belarmino, who is presently in the Middle East for an official mission, told The STAR.

Alva, on the other hand, said he placed his bets on 6/55 hoping to get the luck, which was initially predicted for his father.

Cruz said he placed his bets for “combo 7,” a scheme in which a bettor gets seven numbers hoping that six of the seven numbers will be the winning combination.

But Deputy Director General Perfecto Palad, PNP deputy chief for administration, did not place any bet because he believes he has a very slim chance of winning.

Even reporters from the PNP Press Office placed their bets hoping to win in the draw last night.